Purebreds vs. Mutts November 21, 2008
Why do people choose to buy a purebred over a mutt? Pet owners want to have some control over what type of dog they're getting. Often, they may think a dog "looks cool," or they have interacted with the breed before and think it would be a good choice for their lifestyle. They may want the breed for a purpose such as hunting, herding or working. But too often the decision is a spontaneous impulse buy ("ohhhh, how cute and fuzzy") or a gift and not researched in advance. This is often ill-fated for the dog, who ends up neglected in the backyard or discarded at the pound.
Behaviorally speaking, purebreds can be generalized into categories, such as "the Golden Retriever is a people pleaser that is good with children", or "the Parson Russell Terrier (formerly Jack) is very high energy and hard to manage in small spaces." But there are no absolutes. We see contradictions to the norm every day. Many clients who bring us adorable 6 week old puppies with high hopes of a great experience are trying to place the dog in another home within a year.
As doctors, we also see the additional veterinary costs that come with purebreds. Almost every purebred has a higher risk for a certain illness, deformity, immune condition, or cancer. Why is this? A purebred is born by repetitively breeding for certain desired physical traits such as a pug nose, short legs, a deep chest, etc. There is an acceptable history and practice of inbreeding (littermates are bred to each other) and linebreeding (parents are bred back to offspring) to repeat a characteristic. As a result, genes that cause diseases such as hip dysplasia, cardiomyopathy, or patellar luxations are repeated and shared, and are much more likely to be expressed. Because this is such a common problem, many pet insurance companies will not insure a purebred against a hereditary condition and veterinarians are trained in breed-related hereditary disorders in school. In truth, it helps keep veterinarians in business.
The latest fad is the designer dog, in which breeders are creating "Labradoodles" and "Yorkiepoos," and people are paying for them. It boggles the mind. Often the mixes, because the breeds are fairly similar, carry the same genetic problems, which does not reduce the likelihood of breed-related diseases.
Responsible breeders have their sires and dams tested and certified against many of these genetic conditions, and if they have a breeder throw a negative trait, they retire the animal. But beware! The responsible breeder is hard to find and their puppies are more expensive because YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR.
Then there is the average breeder, who is just trying to make an easy buck and can't be bothered with the time and money it takes to produce good puppies. In comparision, the backyard breeder has a purebred pair whose puppies they sell, but aren't in business to make money from dog breeding and are probably not educated on the common problems their dogs have and are likely to pass on. Don't forget the puppy mill, but we won't go there (literally and metaphorically speaking). Sadly, most buyers are easily sold and are not knowledgeable enough about a breed, or they just "want a dog," and can end up on the bad end of the deal. And always remember: "THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A FREE DOG."
So how is a mutt created? Mutts happen when dog owners fail to spay or neuter and they end up breeding with the dog around the corner, or they just don't care that their own dogs are freely breeding in the backyard. And voila! A litter of cute little puppies destined for the pound.
Just like purebreds, mutts can be great pets and they can be bad pets. They have traits from their parents, but their genetic mix is new. A great aspect of mixed breeds is their "hybrid vigor," meaning it is much less likely for a breed-related illness to be expressed or passed on. That mixed breed is probably going to have a much healthier existence and fewer veterinary costs over its lifespan.
We look to the cat as another example. Purebred cats are like purebred dogs in the frequency of breed-related illness. But 90% of the cats we see are the generic domestic shorthair. They have no pedigree. As a result, we see cats much less often for heart, bone, joint and eye disorders. We usually just see them for infectious or old-age diseases.
A dog may be man's best friend, but the reverse is far from true. One of the biggest problems that our communities face is the millions of stray and unwanted dogs that are euthanized in shelters. A large amount of these dogs are mutts. Although the problem has many facets, part of it is created like this: People want a purebred - buying a "pretty" dog is cooler than adopting a mutt. They spend so much buying the dog they can't afford or are not sold on the benefits of good medical care, spaying and neutering. "Hey, it's just a dog, why spend the money?" The dog runs loose or is bred by a fence jumper.
We now have "ugly" dogs that nobody really wants. These puppies may get dumped on a street or shelter. They may go to another home that repeats the cycle. Litter after litter is produced. The puppies don't get adopted from the shelter because there isn't much of a market for mongrel puppies, because everyone wants purebreds. So they are euthanized to make room for other puppies, or are left to grow up in a cage - unsocialized and unadoptable - and eventually euthanized.
Adopt with caution. First know what type of dog fits your lifestyle and your home. Small, tall, lazy, crazy, terrier, hound, etc. Get a young puppy, unless you find the occasional lost or relinquished previously trained and socialized dog. If you take on a mature dog with an unknown history, it is highly likely you will get a dog with behavioral problems that you are not equipped to resolve. Many adult dogs are in shelters because the owners did not choose well or take the time to properly train the dog. Remember that all dogs need LOTS of care, exercise, traning, and big dogs need space. Do not adopt a dog just because you feel sorry for it. If you are not equipped to provide the care that dog needs, you are not helping, just delaying the inevitable. Have the dog examined by a vet you trust before you make a final decision. Although most are healthy, strays are more likely to have infectious diseases and older dogs hidden illnesses. Try to spend some time with the dog out of the cage and preferably in your home before making a permanent commitment.
So which is better, a purebred or a mongrel? It's a personal choice. Either can be a blessing or a curse. I would like to see our culture 1) become educated about what they are buying to stop the perpetuating problem of bad breeding, 2) shift towards choosing a pound puppy over a purebred, and 3)spay and neuter more, until the overpopulation problem lessens.
Kelly Cooper, DVM
